Catch and release fly-fishing is available at Trophy Lake in Port Orchard along with some of the best golfing on the peninsula

The Pacific Northwest boasts miles of coastline and salt-water estuaries and a wide network of lakes, rivers, and streams. It is, in short, a perfect place for fly-fishing, and Kitsap County is no exception. Fly-fishing is a sport open to nearly everyone. A rod, a reel, and some line, a selection of flies, a set of waders or a boat. These few items are all the fly fisherman really needs.

Fly-fishing, simply, is the act of using a rod, line, and fly to imitate the movement of a living insect in order to entice a fish to take a bite. Sounds easy. But fly casting “is not like other casting techniques used for lures, bait, spinning, and the like, so you will definitely need to learn it from somebody,” said Ken Jones, president of Kitsap Fly Anglers, a fly fishing club based in Silverdale.

Classes, covering everything from the basics of fly fishing to tying your own flies and even building your own rod, are available from Northwest Angler, 275 High School Road NE, on Bainbridge Island, Bay Street Outfitters, 130 Harrison Ave, in Port Orchard, and from local fly fishing clubs such as Kitsap Fly Anglers, which meets at Island Lake Community Center in Silverdale (call 360-779-2887 or 360-871-5156), and the Kitsap Poggie Club, which meets at the Sheridan Park Community Center in Bremerton (call 360-876-9593). These classes are useful not only for technique, but also to help beginners, and even experienced fly fishers, to decide what kind of equipment they need.

“I usually try to get [new fly fishers] into our intro class,” said Barry Pascoe, of Northwest Angler. “Then they have some context to make a decision for what equipment they will need for what they’re going to do.”

That context is necessary because the specific gear needed for fly-fishing depends heavily on the kind of fish the fly angler is after and the location where he or she will be fishing.

A rough guideline for rods: 3- to 6-weight rods work well for trout and other smaller fish; 7 to 9, salmon and steelhead; 10- to 14-weight rods are good choices for tarpon and other large game fish. The “weight” of the rod, such as 5-weight, 9-weight, and so on, is a standardized measurement representing the weight of the first 30 feet of the line.

“Fly rods don’t work like other rods,” said Pascoe. “The rod and line are balanced so they work together.” Since a fly weighs nearly nothing, the weight comes from the line, and the rod action has to be balanced in order to be effective. Reel and line choices are then informed by the choice of the rod, as line weights and rod weights synch up, and different reels can accommodate different line weights. Line choices also include floating line, used when fish are surfacing, and wet line for fishing at the bottom.

Picking a fly also depends on fish and location. Again, fly fishing shops and clubs are excellent resources to help determine which fly is the correct choice.

“Some good flies to use year-round in this area are wooly buggers, carey specials, terrestrials, and royal coachmen,” said Marion Crook of Kitsap Sports, 10903 Myhre Place NW, in Silverdale. “But there are also flies that are only good for certain seasons.”

Fly fishermen can gear up at Northwest Angler, Kitsap Sports, or Bay Street Outfitters, which all offer a full range of fly-fishing equipment, clothing, and accessories. Then they have a wide range of fly fishing locations to choose from in Kitsap County and the surrounding areas. Shore casting for saltwater salmon and sea run cutthroat trout is popular year-round at many of the area beaches and saltwater estuaries, including Chico Creek beach on Dyes Inlet, Lynnwood beach on Bainbridge Island, Hood Canal, and Lion’s Park in Bremerton. Popular lakes in the area for fly-fishing include Kitsap County’s Kitsap Lake and Island Lake, and Buck Lake, Teal Lake and Anderson Lake in Jefferson County.

Trophy Lake Golf and Casting, 3900 SW Lake Flora Road, in Port Orchard, offers year-round catch-and-release fly fishing on its property. The lake is stocked with steelhead trout and kamloop rainbow trout. Individuals may choose to cast from shore, rent boats for center lake casting, or bring their own float tube or pontoon boat. There are hourly, half- and full-day rates available.

Further afield, the Olympics boast a number of rivers for fish including salt-water steelhead and freshwater rainbow trout. Fly casters who do not want to venture that far on their own, or who want a little extra guidance can call on Northwest Angler or Bay Street Outfitters, which both offer guide services. Northwest Angler’s guided services include guided fly-fishing trips throughout Washington and Oregon, as well as adventure travel to fly fishing destinations all over the world. Its Web site, www.nwangler.com, lists current trip schedules. Northwest Angler guides are also available to accompany individuals and groups on private trips. Bay Street Outfitters offers guided trips, led by owner Derek Mills, to rivers throughout western Washington, including the Hoh, Sol Duc, and Wynochee rivers. Call the shop at 360-874-7880 for a current schedule. Local fly fishing clubs also plan regular trips for their members.

Note that except for fishing at Trophy Lake, which is on private property, a fishing license is required for anyone over the age of 14 to legally fish at these locations. Northwest Angler, Kitsap Sports, and Bay Street Outfitters all sell Washington fishing licenses, as do Big 5 Sporting Goods, and area Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart stores. An access sticker is also required for the Kitsap area lakes, and other locations may have their own licensing or access requirements.

Before heading out it is a good idea for fly fishermen to review the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s publication, Fishing in Washington, to learn about general rules as well as seasonal or other restrictions for the area they plan to fish. The 2004/2005 publication covers rules and restrictions in effect from May 1, 2004 to April 30, 2005, and is available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov.